Table Of ContentFICTION $14.95
V.A.
Stuart
Praise for V. A. Stuart
kk
The
“The author’s command of the smallest detail of the period
Cannons
is impressive. A historical novel of scholarship.”
of
—Yorkshire Post
Lucknow
1857, Cawnpore. Cawnpore is retaken, but they have come Alexander
too late to stop the slaughter. The relieving British soldiers can Sheridan
Adventures
only stare at the ill-sited, poorly-defended entrenchment—
4
where the garrison made their last stand at odds worse than
ten to one—and shake their heads, wondering why.
One of only two survivors, Colonel Alex Sheridan is numb.
His wife and newborn son lie dead. But now he must join
General Havelock’s force of barely a thousand men as they
fight their way through to the besieged garrison at Lucknow.
The garrison cannot hold much longer, and another massacre
is not far away.
Meticulously researched and historically accurate,
Stuart’s tragic stories from the Indian Mutiny resonate in
our own time.
V.A. STUART wrote several series of military fiction and
numerous other novels under various pseudonyms, her settings
spanning history and the globe, from the Napoleonic wars of
Europe to India under the British Raj. Born in 1914, she was in
Burma with the British Fourteenth Army, became a lieutenant,
and was decorated with the Burma Star and the Pacific Star.
The Alexander Sheridan Adventures, No.4 ISBN: 978-1-59013-029-2
91495
McBOOKS PRESS
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MCBOOKS
PRESS
THE CANNONS OF LUCKNOW
k k
Historical Fiction Published by McBooks Press
BYALEXANDERKENT BYDEWEYLAMBDIN
Midshipman Bolitho The French Admiral
Stand into Danger Jester’s Fortune
In Gallant Company BYDOUGLASREEMAN
Sloop of War Badge of Glory
To Glory We Steer First to Land
Command a King’s Ship The Horizon
Passage to Mutiny Dust on the Sea
With All Despatch
Form Line of Battle! BYV.A.STUART
Victors and Lords
Enemy in Sight!
The Sepoy Mutiny
The Flag Captain
Massacre at Cawnpore
Signal–Close Action!
The Cannons of Lucknow
The Inshore Squadron
The Heroic Garrison
A Tradition of Victory
Success to the Brave BYC.NORTHCOTEPARKINSON
Colours Aloft! The Guernseyman
Honour this Day Devil to Pay
The Only Victor The Fireship
Beyond the Reef Touch and Go
The Darkening Sea BYCAPTAINFREDERICKMARRYAT
For My Country’s Freedom Frank Mildmay ORThe Naval Officer
Cross of St George The King’s Own
Sword of Honour Mr Midshipman Easy
Second to None Newton Forster OR
Relentless Pursuit The Merchant Service
BYDUDLEYPOPE Snarleyyow ORThe Dog Fiend
Ramage The Privateersman
Ramage & The Drumbeat The Phantom Ship
Ramage & The Freebooters BYJANNEEDLE
Governor Ramage R.N. A Fine Boy for Killing
Ramage’s Prize The Wicked Trade
Ramage & The Guillotine
BYIRVC.ROGERS
Ramage’s Diamond
Motoo Eetee
Ramage’s Mutiny
Ramage & The Rebels BYNICHOLASNICASTRO
The Ramage Touch The Eighteenth Captain
Ramage’s Signal Between Two Fires
Ramage & The Renegades BYW.CLARKRUSSELL
Ramage’s Devil Wreck of the Grosvenor
Ramage’s Trial Yarn of Old Harbour Town
Ramage’s Challenge
BYRAFAELSABATINI
Ramage at Trafalgar
Captain Blood
Ramage & The Saracens
Ramage & The Dido BYMICHAELSCOTT
Tom Cringle’s Log
BYDAVIDDONACHIE
The Devil’s Own Luck BYA.D.HOWDENSMITH
The Dying Trade Porto Bello Gold
A Hanging Matter BYR.F.DELDERFIELD
An Element of Chance Too Few for Drums
The Scent of Betrayal Seven Men of Gascony
A Game of Bones
The Cannons
of
Lucknow
k k
V. A. S
TUART
The Alexander Sheridan Adventures, No. 4
MCBOOKS PRESS
ITHACA,NEWYORK
Published by McBooks Press 2003
Copyright © 1974 by V.A.Stuart
First published in Great Britain by Robert Hale Limited,London 1974
All rights reserved,including the right to reproduce this book or any portion
thereof in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical,without
the written permission of the publisher.Requests for such permissions
should be addressed to McBooks Press,Inc.,
IDBooth Building,520 North Meadow St.,Ithaca,NY 14850.
Cover painting:Sir Henry Havelok at the Relief of Lucknow.
Courtesy of Peter Newark Military Pictures
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stuart,V.A.
The cannons of Lucknow / by V.A.Stuart.
p. cm.— (Alexander Sheridan adventures ;no.4)
ISBN 1-59013-029-4 (alk.paper)
1.Sheridan,Alexander (Fictitious character)--Fiction.
2.British--India--Fiction. 3.India--History--Sepoy Rebellion,1857-
1858--Fiction. 4.Great Britain--History,Military--19th century--
Fiction. 5.Lucknow (India)--History--Siege,1857--Fiction. I.Title
PR6063.A38 C36 2003
823’.914—dc21 2002012358
All McBooks Press publications can be ordered by calling
toll-free 1-888-BOOKS11 (1-888-266-5711).
Please call to request a free catalog.
Visit the McBooks Press website at www.mcbooks.com.
Printed in the United States of America
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is for Dale L.Walker,
of the University of Texas at El Paso, in gratitude for his
kindness and encouragement and in the hope that he may find it
as factual as we both like our historical fiction to be.
j
s •
“One hundred years,” the Moulvi said.
The Sadhu agreed with nodding head.
“And we have served an alien breed.
The hour is come—Hind shall be freed!”
The runners sped throughout the land—
The Sign was passed from hand to hand.
From every ghat and every khud
There came the call for British blood.
Night’s horror gone, the peacock loud
Proclaims the waning star of Oudh.
The vulture, gruesomely replete
Sees blood-red dawn invade the street.
Here riven shako, bloodied sash,
Half-buried in the shrouding ash
Bear evidence that, once begun,
Treachery’s cost is five to one.
Now day’s reluctantly begun
As though, in shame, the very sun,
Seems in the mist to hide his head . . .
And over Oudh the dawn is red!
Delhi Rebels by W. B. Lindsay.
By permission of the author
AUTHOR’S NOTE
j
s •
BASED ON published letters and accounts of the Indian Mutiny
everything recounted in this book actually happened.
The only fictional characters are Alex Sheridan and his bearer,
Mohamed Bux; all others are called by their correct names and
their actions are on historical record although,of course,conver-
sations with the fictitious characters are imagined. As far as
possible, however, such conversations are based on their known
views or actions. Sergeant Mahoney, of the famous “Blue Caps”
serving with the Volunteer Cavalry,was awarded a V.C.;Timothy
Cullmane of H.M.’s 64th was killed in action. No award of a
Victoria Cross was made to any of the survivors of the heroic
siege of Cawnpore, although repeated recommendations were
made on behalf of Lts.Mowbray Thomson and Henry Delafosse.
Both continued to serve in the Indian Army; Henry Delafosse
retired as a major-general, after commanding the Blue Caps,
Mowbray Thomas reached the honorary rank of general.
Gunner Sullivan died of wounds and cholera,after his escape:
Private Murphy served with Havelock’s Force and,on leaving the
army, was made gardener in charge of the Cawnpore Memorial
Well and garden, which post he held until his death. Lousada
Barrow retired as a major-general, C.B., and General Havelock’s
son Harry was awarded a V.C.and he too,became a general.
I should like to thank the city librarian, Mr. O. S.Tomlinson
• 7 •
The Cannons of Lucknow
and the staff of York City Library for their help in obtaining ref-
erence books for me,including out-of-print works which I could
not otherwise have read.
I make no apology for appending a list of “Books Consulted”
since I have tried to make this novel as factually accurate as lies
within my power, for which reason I consulted them . . . and
readers,whose interest in the Mutiny may have been stimulated,
could well find the list of practical use as a guide to their future
reading.
• 8 •
PROLOGUE
j
s •
WITHTHESOUNDof General Havelock’s guns still ringing remorse-
lessly in his ears, Dundoo Punth—Nana Sahib and self-styled
Peishwa of the Mahrattas—stepped into the broad-beamed coun-
try boat which had been tied up at the Bithur landing stage since
early morning,awaiting his appearance.
His brother, Bala Bhat, sullenly nursing the wound he had
received in the battle for Cawnpore,had preceded him,with the
women of his household,and the women now crouched,fright-
ened and shivering, in the forward part of the boat.Their dark
faces were raised to his,seeking reassurance,but the Nana ignored
them. He seated himself on the cushions placed beneath the oil
lantern in the stern and gestured to the chief boatman to cast off.
“Maharajah . . .”The grizzled old rissaldar-major, whom he
had promoted to the command of his cavalry, made a last effort
to detain him.“How am I to pay my sowars if you leave us,
huzoor?They grow insolent,they make demands which I cannot
meet.They—”
“Their cowardice has cost us Cawnpore!” the Nana Sahib
flung back wrathfully.“Let them plunder the British if they desire
payment for their services,Teeka Singh—they shall have no reward
from me. I go to my death on their account, fool that I was to
For Historical Notes on the Mutiny,see page 254,and for a Glossary
of Indian Terms, see page 269.
•• 99 ••
Description:Cawnpore is retaken, but they have come too late to stop the slaughter—the relieving British soldiers can only stare at the ill-sited, poorly-defended entrenchment and shake their heads, wondering why. One of only two survivors, Colonel Alex Sheridan is numb. His wife and newborn son lie dead. But
